The MOMB

The Museum Of Mary Birch

The Museum Of Mary Birch explores ideas surrounding ownership, strangers, and obsession. It contains stories created by me and documents that surround one object, a sugar jar, that intertwine to depict parts of Mary Birch’s life.

The Museum

I had the individual elements and decided the best way to present them would be in this ‘Museum Of Mary Birch’ or ‘MOMB.’ Initially I was just going to create the museum in the studio with the stereotypical plinths and descriptions however as I began to refine my ideas this theme of obsession recurred. I decided the best way to portray my idea would be to put the museum in my bedroom to suggest the idea of a personal obsession that can be linked to trivial ‘obsessions’ such as when we cover our bedroom walls in posters of our favourite band or more serious addictions that can consume our life. It also links to ideas surrounding our secretive lives, parts of ourselves that few people ever discover: hidden behind closed doors.

The museum is useless of course; I made posters but it isn’t advertised anywhere and nobody really visits but me. This lack of visitors makes it a self indulgent endeavour rather than an educational facility for the curious mind. The direction of my project took a much more obsessive quality towards the end as I refined my ideas. This obsession with the unknown Mary Birch, unreachable yet taking over my home, highlighting how desire for discovery and consumption can drive us insane. The museum is mine in a sense but more belongs to an exaggerated version of myself. Of course I became increasingly curious about this Mary Birch however obviously I wouldn’t create a shrine like museum celebrating her life. The posters I made aren’t meant for advertisement purposes but are more of a way to validate the importance of this obsession. It represents the notion that other people would also accept this idea and want to be a part of it rather than just an idea consuming a single person’s mind. These posters along with the gift shop and using the plinth as a presentation method gives the museum value, making it seem acceptable and worthwhile to my exaggerated self. The gift shop also discusses ideas surrounding consumerism and our obsession with money in today’s society.

I started a series of photographs to represent how obsession or addiction whether that be to a physical object, an idea, or a human being can be detrimental not only to the affected person but to those around them. The Museum Of Mary Birch began to intertwine itself into the lives of people who live with me. The gift shop lives alongside our groceries in the fridge, family photos are placed alongside Dick Roughley, his delivery van, and the church roof in Digmoor, and the piano has become public property labelled: ‘PLAY ME I’M YOURS.’

I wanted to have an alternative way of displaying my work outside of my bedroom and so presented it in an everyday cardboard box as if someone is moving house labelled ‘MOMB.’ It is filled with the contents of the museum and my documentation of it. It becomes an artwork in itself as well as a presentation method as it surrounds the idea of ‘hidden in clear view’ and attaches itself to the idea of when people hide their treasured objects in memory boxes. It becomes this secret obsession hidden away yet linked to the fact that it is important enough not to be left behind. It also renders the museum even more useless than it already was and effectively explores thoughts surrounding our private and secretive lives and disconnecting ourselves from others. Especially with obsession/addiction it may be common to be embarrassed by what has taken over our lives and we might hide it away.

WiganWorld.co.uk

Mary Birch didn’t reply to my letter asking about her and so to add an element of truth to my stories I sought the assistance of wigan world. Wigan World is an online forum where residents or ex residents discuss their present lives or share nostalgic tales about the area where the address in Mary Birch’s book links to. Initially I visited the site to see if I could find Mary Birch and although unsuccessful there were some interesting posts and photos about the area that I could incorporate into my stories. This bending of the truth would make my stories more believable although this wasn’t my main priority. I did want the stories to be far fetched and childlike as I wanted to be inspired by the book that inspired the project: A Tale Of Green Hedges, a children’s book by Enid Blyton. I also wanted to discuss ideas surrounding obsession with a person. If we’re so infatuated by somebody we may be reluctant to see past the facade and believe every word they say even if it is untrue. Especially with romantic relationships it may be easy to become dependent on someone, become intertwined in their life and lose parts of ourself. We may either be obsessed with the person or with the idea of the person but lose a sense of reality and be hesitant to know the truth. It may be hard to let go even if the results will be more detrimental in the long run.

Characters

Richard Roughley 

I found Richard Roughley on wigan world. Someone had uploaded an album of old photos and he is featured standing next to his delivery van. I gave him the address 12 Daniel’s Lane which is a street near where Mary Birch lived.

Mary Birch

Address: 2 Spencer’s Lane, Digmoor, Upholland, Near Wigan

Found in a book I bought from a charity shop

Joseph Guest

When looking a old electoral records on wigan world I found a Mr. Joseph Guest who lived at 3 Spencer’s Lane.

The Stories

I chose to focus my tales on one object: The Sugar Jar, that I bought from a charity shop. The first poem like story follows Richard Roughley tearing the pages out of Mary’s book and burying them in the ground along with his mother’s sugar jar, dated 1956.

The next visual story shows a lost poster made by Mrs Roughley searching for her beloved sugar jar, dated 1956.

Then there are letters sent between Richard and Mary, dated 1964. Richard sends Mary her book pages in the post along with the sugar jar. Mary responds explaining that she’s not sure what she is to do with the surprise gift.

The last story, ‘The Sugar Jar’, dated 1989 follows Mary Birch and Joseph Guest. Joseph takes Mary’s sugar jar but then gives it back.

I chose to write the stories this way to challenge the idea of ownership and the fragility of possession. Like most of my artworks The Museum Of Mary Birch explores this idea of the readymade, adding meaning to arbitrary objects, and making them art. I chose one object to pass through ‘owners’ leaving the reader questioning who the sugar jar really belongs to and what the concept of ownership really means.

I also wanted an object to be the main focus of the stories to highlight how objects can very much define who we are. Especially in today’s consumeristic society we’re obsessed with having and owning the new, often expensive, things that apparently make us ‘cool’ and fit in.

These intertwined stories also bring up ideas about connecting with strangers and discovering new stories about people. We’re surrounded by thousands of untold stories everyday yet often are too busy searching for the chair with nobody sitting either side of it or avoiding eye contact in the street.

(The Events that took place in 1956)

Tales of Green Hedges 1956

Richard dug and dug and dug

Further into the ground.

He tore the pages out of Mary’s book and buried them.

And then covered his mother’s sugar jar with the remaining soil.

Letters between Mary Birch and Richard Roughley

Dear Mary,

I went digging at the weekend and found some things that I believe belong to you. I’m sorry I tore the pages out of your book but please accept my apology and this sugar jar as a token of my regret.

Sincerely yours,

Dick Roughley

Dick,

Thanks, although I’m unsure what I will do with the pages, I’m not sure if they are of use to me anymore. Thanks for the sugar jar.

Mary

The Sugar Jar

The air was grey. A stone lay on the carpet so the top left hand corner of the doormat couldn’t touch the floor. The fish hadn’t been fed. And the sugar jar was missing. The sugar jar with the oranges on: Mary’s favourite. It was made by Tyne Potteries and had the word ‘sugar’ on it, hence why it had been dubbed the sugar jar in the Birch household. They kept sugar in it.  Joseph Guest from 3 Spencer’s Lane, the next door neighbour, was a renowned thief and so on the morning of January 26th 1989 Mary Birch knocked on his door.

“Where is my sugar jar?” she said.

“It’s in my kitchen”  Mr Guest replied. He slammed the door shut. He then opened the door and slammed it shut again.

Mary and Joseph had never been friends, although they once helped repair the St Thomas The Martyr Church roof where they had attended bible classes together. Joseph went to Digmoor methodist church now near where they both went to village school. Across the road from the village school was a footpath. Mary remembered her friend falling into the nettles while trying to cross the stile, perhaps that was a seed that lead her to her job as a Rights of way Officer for Derbyshire Countryside Service. She was always exploring and once walked all the way to the road sign of the next village and felt a great sense of achievement. There was a tradition of the children pulling as many peas off the pea wagon as it passed by along the road.

Mary drew her finger along the bookcase and pressed her thumb and forefinger together. A fine layer of dust was forming where her beloved sugar jar used to lie. A layer of dust so fine that it was not visible on Mary’s fingertips. She could still feel it. She could feel it in her soul. Her dusty soul.

Hours had past without much movement so Mary went to the bakery at the bottom of Daniel’s Lane where she purchased two loaves of bread and a coconut. As she was walking home she noticed part of the kerb had detached itself from the pavement and then she looked up only to see Joseph Guest. He laughed. She tried to cry but she couldn’t. They walked back home together. Joseph was Mary’s 2nd husband and he lived in the kitchen.

Mary hadn’t cooked for many years; Joseph would make the food and then pass it to Mary through a hole in the wall he had created with a hammer and chisel. They seldom spoke but when they did it was about how puffins are like squashed versions of toucans. Later that evening no food arrived through the hole in the wall but Mary’s sugar jar did. The sugar jar with the oranges on: Mary’s favourite.

Epilogue

It’s a shame that Mary Birch or whoever lives at that address didn’t respond as I think that would’ve added another element to my work. I could’ve featured the letters between Mary Birch and Laura Emsley which would’ve linked the work to this imaginary persona I created around myself. I would’ve liked to take this project further perhaps making more stories that fill in gaps or adding other media such as sound or video clips.

It would also be interesting to redo this project from a different angle and create more lifelike stories and try to convince people they were real or pretend I had found Mary Birch and tell them about her life that I had supposedly discovered.

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Mid Point Evaluation

I first decided that my theme would be property and ownership and how the objects we own can dominate our lives, consume, and define who we are. I picked up objects around newcastle that had been disregarded or objects such as a log that had never ‘belonged’ to anybody. I wasn’t sure how to present them as I didn’t want to give them sentimentality, it was more about  ownership as a concept itself and so I decided the best way to portray this was through receipts as society’s idea of ownership is very much rooted in the sense of money and consumerism. I created a receipt for each item to show ‘A Collection Of Objects That Now Belong To Me’ stating that the customer was myself and the price was £0.00 to challenge the idea of what ownership means.

Another object that I collected but purchased was a book from a charity shop. I bought it because it portrayed the idea I wanted to express. ‘Mary birch’ had written her name numerous times throughout the first few pages of the book and her address clearly wanting people to know it belonged to her if it was ever misplaced. I decided I wanted to discuss this fragility of ownership within my work. I couldn’t decided whether the book now belonged to me or whether it was still Mary’s.

Mary Birch’s book became the focus of my work and I wanted to create a life I didn’t know around objects. I collected a few objects however decided that to express the idea of ownership perhaps exploring one object with multiple owners would be the best way to convey my idea. The sugar jar I bought from a charity shop is the centre of the stories I am creating that intertwine to tell the tale of Mary Birch’s life. I am trying to contact Mary Birch as an element of truth goes a long way. Also, if I am successful it will fit my explorations nicely as I could discover somebody’s life through an object. The stories are not completely false however as I found a website called Wigan World which contains forums where people discuss their memories of where Mary Birch is from. Through this I found a potential neighbour of Mary and also nostalgic tales that can be put into my stories. “Fusing an element of reality with the unreal.”*

While exploring Mary Birch it has prompted ideas surrounding human interaction and connecting with strangers. We’re surrounded by secret stories that pass us on the street that we’ll never discover. Especially today it is common to be very private and secretive; it feels as though we’re disconnecting ourselves from each other. I want to explore this idea and so need to think of a way how my stories/objects can be presented in a secretive/hidden way. The intertwined stories I am creating also made me think about the quote ‘It’s a small world’ that seems to be thrown about when we actually decide to talk to people about our lives.

What I need to do next:

I need to decided how I am going to present my work in order to suggest the ideas of

-fragility of ownership

-defining our lives through objects

-Connecting with strangers

Another theme that I’m starting to explore is the idea of obsession whether that be with objects or a person.

*anothermag.com on Sophie Calle

Mid Point Evaluation

My initial research has lead me to the idea of the art of conversation and how we have difficulty with everyday communication especially due to the rise of technology. I’m focussing on a particular quote from a New York Times article ‘conversation to connection’ as I think this highlights everything I want to discuss in my project.

“Meanwhile the people were dead in their droves. And, no, nobody noticed; well actually some of them noticed you could tell by the emoji they posted.” Kate Tempest, Europe is Lost from Let Them Eat Chaos.

I also thought about man vs nature and man’s need for dominance and thought about fruit stickers. I then decided I could link this idea to my theme of conversation to connection.

I have decided on the idea of ‘human look up codes’ that are stickers we affix to ourselves in order to converse with one another without the need for verbal communication. I want to show that with this technological era we’re becoming reproductions of each other in terms of how we express ourselves through ‘connection’ rather than conversation and losing our individuality. It is nearly impossible to express emotion through a text message yet many of us use this form of communication to do so.

I have designed some stickers however after researching some fruit stickers, which is where my initial idea came from, I want to redesign them. I want to use a different colour scheme and change the text I have used. I also want to make the numbers I have put on the stickers more prominent as I wanted this to be one of the main focusses of the design however you can’t really see them on the current stickers. The numbers represent a code which is allocated to a particular emotion and so therefore hypothetically expresses how we are feeling.

The symbols I have decided to use are mostly linked to emojis and so use universal symbols such as :), 😦 , hearts, etc. The idea of exploring the art of conversation came from ‘where do you want the tap?’ and so I wanted this to be linked into my designs also. The initial idea of fruit stickers is also used by including a sticker of an apple and orange.

For part of my final piece I have started to make a product out of these stickers. They will come in a box with an instruction sheet explaining what each one means and I have started a print of the Kate Tempest quote so I may include that too.

For my final piece I decided the product itself wouldn’t be enough and so I have decided to create a video which I will hopefully film this weekend. It will be a sort of instructional video showing how to use the product on the ‘Human Look Up Codes’ youtube channel. I want the video to be absurd and ridiculous highlighting how ridiculous this lack of communication we have created is. All the video work I have done previously has been documenting the process rather than a short film so I’m excited to try something new and see the outcome.

Human Look Up Codes

Human Look Up Codes: Where Do You Want The Tap?

Prologue

Where Do You Want The Tap?

A lot of things came to mind when I was initially given the brief. First I  pondered the idea of time and space, in particular the idea that time is a concept and day lengths on different planets. I would have conducted an experiment into how I would live my days on the different planets in our solar system but I don’t enjoy sleep deprivation.

I read an article about how we’re actually living in a simulation and although I didn’t want to explore technology to this extent I did begin to think about the relationship we have with technology, how we are slowly being replaced by machines, and how we rely on technology for simple tasks.

~

On the morning of the 6th July 2016 at 08:53 I walked into my bathroom which was currently being refurbished. Scrawled onto the back wall, I assume by the builders who were currently occupying the space, was ‘Where Do You Want The Tap?’ It baffled my so much I wrote it in my notes on my phone thinking one day I would create art from it.

I am yet to consult my father about the incident that occurred on that morning and so I do not know how he responded, however, Where Do You Want The Tap? man has never left my mind. For this project I decided to use this experience as the main focus and discuss the fact that the art of conversation is dying in today’s society. Especially with the rise of technology face to face talking is seemingly becoming increasingly difficult.

Language is dead.

Chapter 1

The Flight From Conversation

I read an article in the New York Times entitled ‘The Flight From Conversation’ exploring the ‘technological universe in which we are always communicating.’ It discusses the notion of ‘conversation to connection’ which I decided I wanted to show in my work. Although we’re constantly communicating with one another it is merely through a device that we have typed into and clicked send.

“Human relationships are rich; they’re messy and demanding. We have learned the habit of cleaning them up with technology. And the move from conversation to connection is part of this. But it’s a process in which we shortchange ourselves. Worse, it seems that over time we stop caring, we forget that there is a difference.”

I thought this was a powerful quote to inspire my work and also liked the line ‘Nobody noticed well actually some of them noticed you could tell by the emoji they posted’ from Kate Tempest’s Poem Let Them Eat Chaos.

Franz Erhard Walther’s Call To Action exhibition offers insight into the relationship between space, object and the human body particularly through the use of highlighting process. I wanted the theme of process running through my work: the idea that we’ve turned the simple task of communicating to one another into a difficult act and that we have to overcome so many obstacles to have an actual conversation with someone, particularly strangers. The world is plagued with the awkward conversation; we have an epidemic on our hands.

Chapter 2

Fruit Stickers

Another exhibition I looked at was ‘KINGDOM – Flora, Fauna, Fable’ that I visited in the summer at Reykjavik Art Museum. It explores the idea of Man vs. Nature, man’s need to be the dominant being and to manipulate life for his own ends. I connected this idea to how we label produce e.g. fruit stickers and thought it would be amusing if humans had such things. I decided I could use this thought within my initial idea and create ‘human stickers.’  These labels would allow us to communicate with each other without the need for any form of verbal communication to highlight the ‘conversation to connection’ problem.

I researched fruit stickers and discovered they are called price look up codes. Commonly called PLU codes, PLU numbers, PLUs, produce codes, or produce labels, they are identification numbers affixed to produce in grocery stores and supermarkets to make check-out and inventory control easier, faster, and more accurate. I then created a description for my ‘Human Lookup Codes’

“Human look up codes, commonly called HLU codes, HLU numbers, HLUs, human codes, or human labels, are identification numbers affixed to humans to make expressing thoughts and feeling easier, faster and more accurate.”

Chapter 3

Human Look Up Codes

Now I had my idea I began developing how I would present it. I decided I would create a product that could be sold in shops so my amazing invention was available for everyone to use. The stickers are presented in a box along with an instructional sheet explaining how to use each sticker and the appropriate time at which to use it. I also made a print of the Kate Tempest quote and so have used that in my final piece.

I designed some initial stickers however didn’t like the colour scheme or text and so designed them again. The codes on the stickers each represent a different emotion and so, much like fruits, us humans can be categorised. I wanted to explore the idea that with the use of modern communication methods we are losing individuality and becoming reproductions of each other.

The Final Stickers:

 

Broken Heart

Used in reference to a state of extreme grief or sorrow, typically caused by the death of a loved one or the ending of a romantic relationship.

Love

A strong feeling of affection/ a great interest and pleasure in something/ feel deep affection or sexual love for someone.

Apple

The round fruit of a tree of the rose family, which typically has thin green or red skin and crisp flesh.

Single

Only one; not one of several. Unmarried or not involved in a stable sexual relationship.

Happy

Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment/ having a sense of trust and confidence/satisfied with the standard or quality/willing to do something.

where do you want the tap?

Have some parking lessons and respect for others pal.

Sad

Feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy/pathetically inadequate or unfashionable/causing or characterised by sorrow or regret; unfortunate and regrettable.

Orange

A large round juicy citrus fruit with a tough bright reddish-yellow rind.

Worried

Anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems/discover or solve something by persistent thought/annoy or disturb.

Chapter 4

Not enough and Lemons

I decided that the product alone as a final piece wasn’t enough and so a Human Look Up Codes short film was to be created. I wanted it to be absurd; I wanted the viewer to think it was a ridiculous concept. However, the concept of expressing our feelings through a text also seems quite absurd to me so I thought being ridiculous was the only way to express this issue.

I filmed in a field where trains pass by, there are twins, and a lemon. An issue I had while filming was the laughter produced by the twins and so it often took multiple tries to record the footage needed, but life goes on and so did my film.

My final piece consists of the actual product, the video, and some images of the product and screenshots of the video. I wanted these images to link together and so I bought 8 lemons for £2 and they heavily feature in my imagery. I wanted the fruit theme running through my project as this was the initial starting point; I feel it pulls it all together.

Epilogue

Edward III

I am pleased with the outcome of this project and feel I have developed my film making skills as I have never really explored that field before. Although I’m glad I redesigned the stickers I still feel they could be refined further, perhaps using more features from fruit stickers which was the vision in my head when I began this project. I am particularly pleased with the ‘Where Do You Want The Tap?’ sticker though.

I had planned the video rather vigorously and so much of it is as I expected it to be but my favourite parts were the unplanned bits such as Megan’s phone displaying Ashton’s contact name as Edward III, I would have liked to add more subtle features like that. The dog walking past at the end was a nice addition too. Also, I was just going to have natural background noise however I’m glad I added the music to it (Nocturne in F minor Op. 55, No.1 by Chopin if you’re wondering.)

The End

Creative Destruction Pt. I

The Beginnings

After receiving the brief I found a leaflet titled ‘Making Matters’ from an exhibition at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh that displayed children’s artwork inspired by the previous exhibition. I wanted to physically make something to highlight this motto and then destroy it as the brief instructed me to do. After pondering what material to use I chose wood as my starting point.

I went to my old school where the technology department has bins full of scrap wood that are deemed unusable for projects; I thought pieces were particularly interesting when they showed signs of their history such as measurements and reminders for the original user. I selected my pieces and began to plan how I would put them together.

I added sentimentality to my object when I decided to ask my Grandad if he could assist me in building my, now our, structure.

I burned the wooden structure we had created. Perhaps symbolically burning all the time and sentimentality I had put into this made object and further destroying the past lives the scrap wood held.

I videoed the process of me burning the object which involved me covering it flammable material and then setting that alight. The way the object is revealed during the film has a ceremonial feel: uncovered to highlight it’s insignificant significance.

Creative Destruction Pt. II

What came next

I wanted to explore disregarded objects, how we define value, and when we decide to label an object no longer of use: the destruction of an object and desire for the new. I also wanted to discuss the idea of sentimentality: how ordinary objects can be linked to our deepest, most personal memories reminding us of former times, even those we don’t want to recall, highlighting our need to hold onto what is no longer here and giving seemingly insignificant items meaning.

I decided that the ideal way to highlight value would be through the use of money rather than attaching personal meaning. This lead to ideas surrounding greed and power; in today’s society everything seems to be dominated by this idea of money=power=happiness etc. I became particularly interested in challenging this ideal after watching a documentary about the auction house Christie’s. It highlights the ridiculousness of the investment side of the art world: it’s no longer about the artwork itself but about what will make a profit.

And so came along The Dead Object Shop.

 

Creative Destruction Pt. III

The Dead Object Shop

I decided I would sell ‘dead’ objects in a shop I had created complete with ridiculous price tags. I thought it would be interesting if viewers had connections to items due to memories or experiences even though these objects, money wise, have little to no value at all. It’s also interesting how labelling something as art adds value to an object. I found the cardboard box behind a bin. I painted it pink. Now it is art. It is priced at £12.

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I don’t expect to sell any of the items however I have a ‘Pay Here’ honesty type box in my installation where people can pay and then collect the item of their own accord. I want to be detached from the artwork; I don’t want to it to mean anything to me. The shop has no value and it is not significant. However, I plan to cover hundreds of surfaces in posters advertising my shop and listing what is for sale therefore creating imaginary value.

 

Creative Destruction Pt. IV

The End

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I am pleased with the outcome of my dead object shop and I’m glad it has taken the direction it has since my initial thoughts. The jumbled look makes it more about the concept rather than the individual items which is what I wanted from the beginning. I didn’t want it to look perfect and the unfinished look adds to this idea of insignificance. I particularly like the features I added at the end such as the arrows on the floor, customer helpline, and the interactive element of an order form.

I wanted to include the viewer’s interactions and responses along side my final product; I feel this aspect would have made the work even stronger. However, much to my disappointment, people were reluctant to interact. I had a few visitors, a lot of whom were asked by me to come rather than self initiated visitors. Perhaps I should’ve included more interactive elements and although I thought the posters stating ‘Open Now in T119’ were pretty self explanatory perhaps I needed different ways of inviting people to visit my shop.

I also could have used items which are considered valuable in today’s society and placed them alongside these ‘invaluable’ items with a lack of distinction between them to highlight the idea that value is a social construct.

UAL: Central Saint Martins

Courses I have looked at:

-BA (Hons) Fine Art

• The dimensional pathway structure is unique to CSM. The course offers students an interdisciplinary context whilst the pathways give a perspective to explore specific practices.
• You will work within one of 4 pathways, 2D, 3D, 4D and X D, offering you a practice-based approach to technical, conceptual, historical and critical contexts
• the chance to go on international exchanges, in countries around the world
• external projects that provide experience of art practice
• you can take a one year Diploma in Professional Studies as part of your BA Fine Art course

Scheduled open days: Thursday 10th November 2016, Tuesday 15th November 2016

Portfolio:

• Work imaginatively and creatively in visual media
• engage with experimentation and invention
• show personal commitment to skill development
• reflect critically on your learning

-BA (Hons) Graphic Communication Design

• supports students interested in developing hybrid practices, specialist approaches and those looking for a more general and strategic graphic communication design education
• Choose from areas of study to develop professional approaches in, for example, typography, coding, illustration, interaction, moving image and branding
• design your curriculum for final year study
• live briefs engaging local government, non-profits and companies

Scheduled open days: Wednesday 23rd November, Friday 2nd December

Portfolio:

• Work imaginatively and creatively in graphic and visual media
• original thought to any given problem and not mimic prevalent styles
• range of skills and technical abilities
• potential to experiment

Entry requirements:

• Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
• A pass in 1 GCE A level
• Passes at GCSE level in 3 other subjects (grade C or above)

Course fees: £9,000 per year

Goldsmiths

BA (Hons) Fine Art, duration 3 years

• make and study contemporary art in a dynamic, critical and interdisciplinary environment
• develop independent thought and confidence in your practice, as well as transferable skills suitable for employment in the creative industries
• your own studio space from day one, and will have access to excellent facilities including specialist research laboratories
• wide variety of media
• Studios are not divided by year or discipline
• critical studies 25% of this course

Scheduled open days: I visited the Goldsmiths open day on the 8th October 2016

Entry Requirements:

• Successful completion of three A-levels, Baccalaureate or equivalent; and
• successful completion of a Foundation

Portfolio:

• The portfolio will contain up to 12 items representing a variety of your art/design work and approaches
• You’ll also be asked to upload an essay from either your Foundation course (or equivalent) or from an A-level (or equivalent)

Course fees: £9,000 per year